Enbridge Company causes neighborhood road closure

The Enbridge Company will make an appearance in an Oakland County neighborhood beginning Wednesday, but residents are being told not to worry because there are no problems.

The Road Commission for Oakland County announced that Oak Hill road in Springfield Township will be closed until mid-February.

Craig Bryson, public information officer for the Road Commission in Oakland County, said the company is preventing future issues with their petroleum pipelines. Bryson said it is probably to prevent future incidents like the June 2012 oil spill in Kalamazoo.

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"I don't believe (residents should worry), this is not us doing the work, this is the Enbridge Company. Enbridge has opted as kind of a preventative maintenance. They want to replace their entire line across the state," Bryson said.

The work being done on Oak Hill Road will replace sections of the pipeline.

"It's to prevent any future oil leaks ... I think it's a good thing, there have not been many problems in Oakland County, but it's a preventive to prevent future breaks," Bryson said.

Jason Manshum, Enbridge spokesperson, said safety is their first priority.

"In general, we have a project like this, many times we will have a temporary road closure as we're transporting pieces of the pipe, which could be over 80 feet," Manshum said. "You have to have specialized equipment (to carry the pipes)," Manshum said.

The new pipeline is placed along the existing pipeline, going through an array of inspections until it is activated.

"We'll have a safety personnel along the roadway so that everyone on that roadway and pedestrians stay safe," Manshum said.

There will be a detour for people who use the road.

"There will be a hard closure on Oak Hill, you will have to access the road from one end or the other, and you need to use the detour route, which is Holly Road at Dixie Highway to get back to Oak Hill," Bryson said. "... It's not a hugely traveled road."

Bryson said the weather could have an impact on how long this construction will last, and currently there is no specific date that the work will be completed.